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Listen to the latest from the Education Suspended podcast, featuring Malika Ali

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Join the conversation as we partner with communities to design and implement culturally responsive school change.

In This Week’s Issue

• Chief Innovation Officer Malika Ali featured on the Education Suspended podcast
• APPLY BY January 19 deadline for our Director of Program & Implementation role
• Case Study: CA District’s Grow-Your-Own Residency Targets Teacher Diversity

Windows & Mirrors: Malika Ali featured on Education Suspended Podcast

Malika Ali joined hosts Jessica Pfeiffer and Steve Graner for Episode 49 of Education Suspended, a podcast focused on exploring, engaging, and dialoguing with those in education who are passionate about changing the status quo and evolving the archaic system we have inherited.

The episode explores Malika’s transgenerational story, which is rooted in the pursuit of education and drives her own desire to empower students. Malika discusses the importance of instruction that is relevant to students and curriculum that provides both windows and mirrors — for students to see themselves in lessons and better understand how they fit into the world.

“Relevance is about: 1) Not just having the learning be abstract; and 2) Not just centered on dominant groups…We have everyone look at their curriculum, audit it for relevance, see does it affirm student identities and elevate non-dominant perspectives, and create space for students to have the windows (to see other cultures and ways of being) and mirrors (to see themselves reflected in the curricula).” – Malika Ali 

We hope you’ll take some time over the next few days to listen to this inspiring conversation, learn more about Malika’s background, and understand more about her vision for our work with schools. Thank you to the Education Suspended team for this opportunity!

Listen

Seeking: Director of Program & Implementation

DEADLINE: Please submit applications by Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 11:59PM

ABOUT THE POSITION: This dynamic role involves coaching in schools/districts and leading a team of instructional coaches to support our growing portfolio. Reporting directly to our Chief Innovation Officer, Malika Ali, this position is responsible for management of a caseload of schools and management of a team of Instructional Equity Partners including professional development, coaching, implementation support, and creative problem solving to address issues as they arise with implementation.

LOCATION: This is a hybrid position that will require approximately 2-3 days of travel per week for in-person school support as well as travel to the Rhode Island headquarters for occasional staff meetings. The remainder of the week may be spent working from a home office in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, when in-person collaboration is not required.

SALARY & BENEFITS: $95,000 – $144,000, compensation is commensurate with experience. The role is a full-time, salaried position with full benefits (medical, dental, and vision) and a 403(b) plan with 5% contribution after 6 months of employment. Highlander Institute also provides a monthly home office and cell phone allowance, as well as a generous PTO policy.

If you are passionate about empowering students through a culturally responsive and sustaining approach, collaborating with families and community members, and supporting educators to understand their roles in disrupting systemic inequity, then we want you on our team! Click below to learn more, apply, or share with your network.

Apply

From Other Organizations

Photo credit: Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages

Case Study: CA District’s Grow-Your-Own Residency Targets Teacher Diversity

The Learning Accelerator (TLA) has been examining the deleterious effects of the past few years on adult well-being in schools, as well as the positive potential for grow-your-own residency programs to address the overwhelming need to improve teacher recruitment, the capability and expertise of novice educators and retention — particularly in communities of color.

In partnership with California’s Lindsay Unified School District, TLA evaluated the first year of their grow-your-own residency program. The district partnered with Alder Graduate School of Education and Marshall Teacher Residency to design a residency program based on Bank Street College of Education’s Prepared to Teach framework. Lindsay recruited from within the community to attract future educators who understood the district’s unique instructional practices and — most importantly — the experiences of its students. Through the program, residents gained content knowledge as well as hands-on experience by working alongside a mentor for an entire school year. Findings largely mirrored the recent Rand study but identified additional factors to improve recruitment and retention. While the factors mentioned in the report are critically important, we see them as just the beginning.

Read the Case Study